s, without conversion, is most
dangerous, and calculated to deaden the heart. He said that he felt it
very much when 'master' was converted (meaning myself), and was also
dreadfully condemned; for he had believed in the necessity of conversion
all his life; and though he knew that I was unconverted, yet he never
told me, but rather encouraged me to go on as I was. He said that he had
had many sleepless nights about it; "but now, thank God" he added, "it
is all right; my feet are on the Rock, my soul is saved. I can praise
the Lord in the congregation."

The clerk's conversion did not stop with himself, for it was a call to
some of the ringers; they were still outside and unsaved, though they
knew, as well as he did, that they ought to be otherwise. One of these
men began to attend the meetings regularly, but we could not get him to
pray, or speak a word. I said to him one evening, "You will never have a
sound from the bell till you move it or its tongue; in like manner, you
must move your tongue, for you will have nothing until you speak, nor
get an answer until you pray." Still he remained silent, and shut up to
himself; till one night, as we were putting out the lights at ten
o'clock, the meeting being over, I said to him as he stood by, "James, I
wonder when you will ever give your heart to God?" He looked at me and
said, "Now." "That is right," I replied; "thank God! let it be so." I at
once stopped the extinguishing of the lights, and invited him to pray
with me, but he took no heed. It was evident he had deliberately made up
his mind what he would do, for he took off his coat, undid his neck-tie,
turned back his shirt-sleeves, and then, setting a form about nine or
ten feet long, square with the room, he knelt down and began to say,
"Lord, have mercy upon me!" "Lord, have mercy upon me!" This he repeated
with every returning breath, faster and louder as he went on, till at
last he worked himself up into a condition of frenzy. He went on without
cessation for two hours, and then stopped in an exhausted state, gasping
for breath. I pointed him to the cross, and told him of God's mercy in
giving His Son to die for sinners; but he was quite absent, and did not
appear to hear me, or take the least notice. After a little rest, he
commenced again praying as before, and got into terrible distress. What
with his noise, and the energy he put forth, it was frightful to see the
struggle. He cried, and beat the form till I thou